Olympus E-M5 III vs Olympus E-PL6

In this article, we are matching up the Olympus E-M5 III versus Olympus E-PL6, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are created by Olympus. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the E-M5 III (20MP) and E-PL6 (16MP) but they come with the same exact sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 III was launched 5 years after the E-PL6 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a simple summation of how the E-M5 III matches up vs the E-PL6 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 III & Olympus PEN E-PL6. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 III Gallery & Olympus E-PL6 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera, you will need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 III features physical dimensions of 125mm x 85mm x 50mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 2.0") accompanied by a weight of 414 grams (0.91 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL6 has specifications of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M5 III versus Olympus E-PL6 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-M5 III compared to the E-PL6.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 III and E-PL6 is 80 and 88 respectively.

Usually, its hard to envision the gap in sensor dimensions only by seeing specifications. The image here should give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 III and E-PL6.

To sum up, both the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same megapixels. You can anticipate the Olympus E-M5 III to show greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The newer E-M5 III will have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.